Auditor: City remains fiscally strong

Published: Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 11:48 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 11:48 p.m.

The city of Hendersonville heard a stellar audit report for its last fiscal year during a City Council meeting Thursday night.

"The city continues to be in very good financial shape," said Ron Carland, a CPA with Carland and Andersen Inc. "The net worth of the city rose by $2,750,000 as a whole and reached nearly $100 million," from July 2011 through June 2012.

The city's water, sewer and sanitation department, he said, saw a net increase of $3 million. The governmental side of the city decreased by about $250,000, he added.

"The city's fund balance, which does not bring into account the expenditures of property or equipment but does recognize them as expenditures, fell by about $1.5 million, but this is roughly due to the expenditures on sidewalk improvements paid for with the bonds that were issued two years ago and the improvements to the downtown district on Main Street that have been paid for with no debt being issued," Carland said.

On the revenue side, property tax revenues were up about $80,000. Sales tax revenue was up about $125,000.

"The city increased its long-term debt this year by approximately $12 million," Carland said.

He added that the city received several grants during the year, including more than $300,000 from FEMA to hire additional firefighters and $200,000 from the Department of Energy for equipping three new dump trucks to run on compressed natural gas.

"The city remains very financially strong," he said. "It has $40 million in cash" in reserves.

"The state of North Carolina requires municipalities to have a fund balance of at least 8 percent of a year's worth of expenditures just so they don't get cash-strapped and are forced into short-term borrowing, and in your case the general fund of the city of Hendersonville is more like 52 percent," he said.

"If you're happy, I'm happy," said Councilman Steve Caraker.

In other good news, City Council members were happy to hear an update on plans for proposed upgrades at Berkeley Park.

Gary Wirth, principal of Wirth & Associates, which was contracted to complete a master plan for the park, presented a draft plan and sought input from the council.

The preliminary master plan includes:

- A baseball complex, utilizing the park's existing ballfield with covered seating, existing concession stand, existing restrooms and drop-off area with accessible parking with about 127 spaces. The ballpark is bordered by an outfield picnic patio and a batting cage.

- A soccer complex, with a 225-foot-by-360-foot soccer field, restroom building and parking with about 94 spaces.

- A destination playground and picnic area with multi-age playground structures, restroom building, picnic shelters and an open field for playing.

- A memorial tree garden with quite seating areas and walking paths.

- An overlook garden with a gazebo, garden landscaping, seating and a small playground.

- A group picnic area with existing picnic shelters, a new restroom building and parking with up to 48 spaces.

- An amphitheater (utilizing a natural hill on the property) with a sheltered stage, wetland overlook and seating for about 300 guests.

- A perimeter trail with about a mile-long inner loop, 1.6-mile outer loop and a half-a-mile pond loop.

- A wetlands boardwalk and observation area.

- A future Oklawaha greenway connector trail.

- A dog park of about two acres, with separate areas for large and small dogs and parking.

- Parking for the greenway trailhead, dog park and mountain bike areas, with about 45 spaces, restrooms and a meeting plaza.

- A youth mountain bike trail and mountain bike skills park.

- A lakeside picnic area.

City Manager Bo Ferguson told the board that this was "not a final version" of the park and plans are not "set in stone." He said that the council's guidance will be used to "prepare a master plan."

"This just blows me away," said Mayor Pro-tem Jeff Collis.

"This has all the things in it that people asked for," added Councilman Jerry Smith.

Wirth said they started with a "big wish list," but he believes elements of the park, like the memorial gardens, will be a big hit.

<p>The city of Hendersonville heard a stellar audit report for its last fiscal year during a City Council meeting Thursday night.</p><p>"The city continues to be in very good financial shape," said Ron Carland, a CPA with Carland and Andersen Inc. "The net worth of the city rose by $2,750,000 as a whole and reached nearly $100 million," from July 2011 through June 2012.</p><p>The city's water, sewer and sanitation department, he said, saw a net increase of $3 million. The governmental side of the city decreased by about $250,000, he added.</p><p>"The city's fund balance, which does not bring into account the expenditures of property or equipment but does recognize them as expenditures, fell by about $1.5 million, but this is roughly due to the expenditures on sidewalk improvements paid for with the bonds that were issued two years ago and the improvements to the downtown district on Main Street that have been paid for with no debt being issued," Carland said.</p><p>On the revenue side, property tax revenues were up about $80,000. Sales tax revenue was up about $125,000.</p><p>"The city increased its long-term debt this year by approximately $12 million," Carland said.</p><p>He added that the city received several grants during the year, including more than $300,000 from FEMA to hire additional firefighters and $200,000 from the Department of Energy for equipping three new dump trucks to run on compressed natural gas.</p><p>"The city remains very financially strong," he said. "It has $40 million in cash" in reserves.</p><p>"The state of North Carolina requires municipalities to have a fund balance of at least 8 percent of a year's worth of expenditures just so they don't get cash-strapped and are forced into short-term borrowing, and in your case the general fund of the city of Hendersonville is more like 52 percent," he said.</p><p>"If you're happy, I'm happy," said Councilman Steve Caraker.</p><p>In other good news, City Council members were happy to hear an update on plans for proposed upgrades at Berkeley Park.</p><p>Gary Wirth, principal of Wirth & Associates, which was contracted to complete a master plan for the park, presented a draft plan and sought input from the council.</p><p>The preliminary master plan includes: </p><p>- A baseball complex, utilizing the park's existing ballfield with covered seating, existing concession stand, existing restrooms and drop-off area with accessible parking with about 127 spaces. The ballpark is bordered by an outfield picnic patio and a batting cage.</p><p>- A soccer complex, with a 225-foot-by-360-foot soccer field, restroom building and parking with about 94 spaces.</p><p>- A destination playground and picnic area with multi-age playground structures, restroom building, picnic shelters and an open field for playing.</p><p>- A memorial tree garden with quite seating areas and walking paths.</p><p>- An overlook garden with a gazebo, garden landscaping, seating and a small playground.</p><p>- A group picnic area with existing picnic shelters, a new restroom building and parking with up to 48 spaces.</p><p>- An amphitheater (utilizing a natural hill on the property) with a sheltered stage, wetland overlook and seating for about 300 guests.</p><p>- A perimeter trail with about a mile-long inner loop, 1.6-mile outer loop and a half-a-mile pond loop.</p><p>- A wetlands boardwalk and observation area.</p><p>- A future Oklawaha greenway connector trail.</p><p>- A dog park of about two acres, with separate areas for large and small dogs and parking.</p><p>- Parking for the greenway trailhead, dog park and mountain bike areas, with about 45 spaces, restrooms and a meeting plaza.</p><p>- A youth mountain bike trail and mountain bike skills park.</p><p>- A lakeside picnic area.</p><p>City Manager Bo Ferguson told the board that this was "not a final version" of the park and plans are not "set in stone." He said that the council's guidance will be used to "prepare a master plan."</p><p>"This just blows me away," said Mayor Pro-tem Jeff Collis.</p><p>"This has all the things in it that people asked for," added Councilman Jerry Smith.</p><p>Wirth said they started with a "big wish list," but he believes elements of the park, like the memorial gardens, will be a big hit. </p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>